Meet Me Halfway

by Xyla Turner

  He had to get out of my mind and out of my life. I could not deal with his shit anymore. That’s what I told myself as I paced around the hotel room and searched for an adult store in the area on my phone. My stomach was unsettled, my nerves were on edge, and my body was tingling with anticipation of nothing to come. My entire world was disrupted and there would be no sleeping or anything until I could calm down.

  Around noon, a knock came at the door. I thought it was Tess probably having mercy on me because I sent her a 'Whatcha ya doing?' text that she never responded to. Opening the door, I said, "Girl, I didn't mean to interrupt you, I was just..."

  Stopping dead in my tracks, a tall man with a cowboy hat stood with two bags in his hands.

  "Knox, what in the hell are you doing here?" I gasped and felt like the ground underneath me was suddenly unsteady.

  "What I was trying to do this morning." He walked in and placed the bags on the side table. "Brought us some food and got a variety in case you don't like some of it."

  "Knox?" I called with the door still open. "I didn't say you could come in."

  "Darling, I'm in. Now are you going to eat or are you going to stand there and watch me eat?"

  "I could have had company," I countered in a last attempt to get under his skin so he would leave.

  "No, you ran him off after I paid for breakfast." The intruder sat down on the chair closest to the bed. "Good girl by the way."

  "How'd..." I stopped myself.

  This was his town, everybody knew him and now me for that matter. Poor Sherman wouldn't have lasted two seconds with the likes of me. We'd had some good times, all non-sexually, because he liked to take it slow. I was thirty-fucking-five and slow went out the window three years ago.

  We gonna do this or we’re not was my motto.

  "Sit," he patted his knee with a wide grin.

  "Fuck you." I closed the door and sat on the other side of the table.

  The food’s aroma smelled like something with a tangy, spicy and lemony combination. Whatever it was, smelled damned good and I was starving, so I opened one of the containers.

  "Wow," I exclaimed. "This looks great."

  "It is." Knox was already eating his food. "Want to try some of this?"

  He turned his plate around and I stuck my fork inside a chunk of beef ribs and popped it in my mouth. That was one thing about being around Knox, I was a thick girl with no qualms about that, and he had none either. My average size ranged from a sixteen to eighteen depending on the brand of clothing. The last time the two of us were in Florida, I made a stupid joke about needing to eat to maintain my figure, and he commented that he had no problem feeding me to keep my figure and that he preferred a thicker woman. That was probably the time he and I became friendly. We made our snide remarks because we were both sarcastic but deep down there was a level of respect, or so I thought.

  "Here," I said as I turned my plate around. "Have some."

  He dug into my sweet potatoes and smacked his lips. "Sarah puts her foot in these things, here."

  "Yes," I agreed, after sampling some more food.

  We continued to eat from both platters until it was mostly gone.

  "I guess I should thank you," I uttered as I slouched in the chair due to the impending food coma.

  "Well, probably but I know ya ain't." He laughed as he packed away the trash and put it outside the room.

  When Knox came back in, he stood in front of me and said, "You're right, you know?"

  "I'm always right, Knox. So, you're going to have to explain." I chuckled.

  "Right about me being back and forth with you." He nodded. "But, I think this will clear it up."

  "What will?" I asked.

  He held out his hand for me to grab but I stared at it because the look on his face was more serious than I've ever seen.

  "Knox," I said his name.

  "Trust me, Nina. I'd never hurt you on purpose," he answered.

  "But you will by accident?" I countered.

  My mind went back to my parents, there was no wonder I couldn’t ever take a relationship seriously. There was probably no one in my immediate family, on both sides that did. Mom had no siblings and neither did my father. There was one cousin who lived in Kentucky, I called him Uncle Nick but he was actually one of Mom’s youngest uncles. She took me there when her mother passed away about fifteen years ago. Since then, I’ve kept in touch with that extended part of the family on social media, which I’m rarely on these days.

  "A man makes mistakes, Nina." He shook his head. "I fucked up, okay?"

  He was being so serious that I took his hand and let him pull me up, so I was standing. He began to unbutton my shirt, while saying, "You and me, we got chemistry. Never felt that with anyone so it's a little dangerous shooting from the hip. Could scare a man, maybe."

  I took one step back in order to gain my composure. He was almost like a system overload for me; anytime we were together. The problem was it was too late because my rationale mind was nowhere in the equation, once his hands were on me.

  Knox finished unbuttoning my shirt, then he let it fall from my body. Every hair on me was at attention giving the feeling of goose bumps and causing my stomach to flutter as he continued to look me over with those assessing eyes. Desire and need were etched on his face as the corners of his mouth turned up slightly and his eyes gleamed with need.

  He continued to unbutton my pants, pulled down my panties and unhooked my bra like a pro.

  "Beautiful," he uttered as his hands caressed my stomach and traveled to my thighs. "Get on the bed."

  Without protest or thought, I climbed on the bed and propped myself up on my elbows.

  "Woman, you sure are a sight for sore eyes." He began to unfasten his plaid shirt. "Just so much to say but I don't have the words."

  He finally unlatched the huge buckle on his belt that he placed on the table and then he stepped out of his jeans.

  "I've been tested and I have protection," Knox said as he stood staring at me. "I'm clean. You?"

  "I'm good. My results are on my phone," I said.

  "Your phone?" he asked.

  "Yeah, my doctor has an app that shows me everything."

  "Fucking New York." He shook his head while putting a knee on the bed. "So, since you hate me so much. I figured we might as well get to the root of this hatred and see how much we both hate each other. Seems fair?"

  "Seems fair," I uttered as his hand slid down my leg and to the back of my knee.

  Knox lifted it and opened me wide for him to see.

  "There's my chocolate pearl." He licked his lips and then his head disappeared between my legs.

  "Oh God!" I exclaimed. "Fuck."

  Knox's mouth was on my clit where he flicked and tugged on it with his tongue and lips. His hands stayed on my thighs to ensure they remained open while he worked his mouth on me in all sorts of ways.

  That sneaky tongue of his traveled further down to my opening and slurping sounds could be heard as he inserted it in and out until I bucked.

  "How much do you hate me?" he asked with those eyes looking pointedly at me.

  "A whole lot."

  "Good." He continued to caress my nub with his tongue but this time his long index finger joined the party as he inserted it inside of my wet vagina.

  Another finger joined and I started to buck continuously as Knox sucked on my taut clit until I was writhing with the need to let go.

  "Fuck, darling," he exclaimed after he lifted his head. "Stay put."

  "I can't," I said with a sigh.

  "Aww, I thought you were tougher than that. Guess you don't really hate me that much." He shook his head.

  "I do. Believe me," I confirmed before he latched on again and good God, I almost gave up the ghost. "Oh Knox."

  His lips pulled tighter on my sensitive clit, the spasm rose up my spine and I released all over his fingers with a loud cry. Knox kept going like nothing happened, and I kept coming as the noises filled the sma
ll room.

  "Fuck," I yelled.

  Suddenly, his mouth and fingers were gone and he was mounting me.

  "How much hate you got left?" he asked as his mouth hovered over mine.

  "A lot," I whispered right when he slid inside and his lips took mine.

  There would have been a gasp, but Knox was fast and I was too caught up in my hatred for that man. My legs and arms wrapped around him as I held on because the man rode me like he was in a horse race with everything on the line.

  Oh, and he fucking won.

  I came three more times as my prior food coma was replaced with a sex coma.

  When he finally fell beside me, before I could move, he had my back to his chest and his face against my neck as he caught his breath. His hands roamed and rubbed all over my body, and I let him because he just earned a gold medal for that performance.

  My eyes had closed at some point in the cool down period and so did his because a few hours later when I woke, I was still wrapped in his cocoon listening to him snore quietly.

  Why I thought moving would be possible was not clear or wise because he had me pinned.

  “Knox,” I whispered. “Hey.”

  He pulled me tighter into him and whispered a groggy, “Hey.”

  “I need to freshen up.” I finally relaxed against him. “You're going to have to let go.”

  His arms loosened and I went to the bathroom, relieved myself and turned on the shower. Once I was inside, I heard him relieving himself and then the curtain opened.

  “Move over.” He patted my hip.

  “This is my shower. Wait ‘til I'm finished,” I snapped back.

  “No ma’am. You thought we were done?” He laughed and nudged me back.

  “Oh boy.” I couldn't help but smile.

  “Still hate me, don't you?” Knox confirmed. “Then let me repay the favor. We freshen up and I show you my town like we did in New York. I'm sure you have places to see on that list of yours too.”

  He grabbed the extra wash cloth, rubbed soap on it and started washing my neck and shoulders. Knox turned me around and proceeded to rub my back with the soapy cloth.

  “You with me?” he asked.

  “Whatever,” I answered and tried to keep my moans to myself.

  “Yeah, let's test this hate theory.” He chuckled.

  After the man washed me and himself, we dressed and went on our first excursion in Clayton County. There we experienced the vast greatness of Pikes Peak State Park. The hiking and climbing was very un-city like but with Knox made it fun and we even fooled around behind a tree for a little while.

  In the evening, Knox took me to a sleek restaurant outside of Libby. Once we were seated, Knox decided it was time to ask the hard questions.

  “Where is Ms. Nina Parks in the next five years?”

  Swirling the wine around in my glass, I smirked at him and asked him the same question.

  “Where is Knox Timms?”

  He nodded and said, “Honestly, traveling. I want to see this world.”

  “Not just the country,” Nina laughed.

  “Iowa is not the country,” Knox explained.

  “It's the country to me,” Nina clarified. “I'm not talking about the literal southern country but the colloquial term of country as in many things outside of the city. Plus, you wear a Stetson, cowboy boots, and have lasso competitions, along with many other traditions that I haven't been acquainted with. Including cooking whole animals outside on a makeshift grill.”

  "I see. Well, I can assure you, colloquialism or not, you haven't seen country. We have running water and bathrooms. Believe me. I'll take you to the country," he commented.

  "Okay, I'll hold you to that." I smiled.

  "Kids?" he asked.

  "What's this, a speed date?" I asked.

  "Don't deflect, answer the question," Knox challenged. "Kids?”

  I didn't want to tell him but it was just like him, always calling me out on my bullshit.

  "Yeah, okay," I snapped.

  "Okay, you want kids?" He pushed but I choose not to answer. "Fine, how many?"

  "I don't know. More than two," I said quickly wishing the waiter would come with my steak. “What about you, Inspector Gadget?”

  “Yes, and more than two,” he answered as those smoldering eyes saw through my thorns. “At least one girl so I can spoil somebody. May need to get another gun or two but definitely a girl in the mix. Boys will happen, I know because I got three brothers. So, I'll need someone to take over my business and keep it going after I'm done.”

  “How did you know it'll be the boys? Might be the girl,” I noted.

  “I don’t really give a fuck who does it, long as they're mine.” Knox shrugged. “We keep shit in the family.”

  “I understand that.” My head nodded in agreement.

  “So, former athlete, huh?” Knox mused.

  “Yeah, volleyball. How'd you know?”

  “You have that type of body,” he answered.

  I almost choked on my bread when he said that.

  “What type? Overweight and obese?” I laughed.

  He leaned forward and hissed, “What the fuck are you yammering about? Where are you obese or overweight?” The question was rhetorical, I knew, but I also didn’t miss that sliver of his anger at my words. “You’re perfect.”

  “Uh, no. Knox, I meant not according to my doctors and all those height, weight, ratios. I should be forty pounds lighter,” I explained. “That was all I meant.”

  “What the fuck do they know? They want everyone to be sticks. Do you see these dolls, commercials and the media? It's utter bullshit," Knox spat. "You're perfect. Anybody got something different to say, tell them to see me."

  His attitude changed completely and suddenly, he was livid.

  "Knox, it's fine. If somebody does have something different to say, I'm a big girl. I can handle my own affairs." I smiled.

  "But you don't have to, is my point, Nina."

  He sat back, took a long gulp of his water and this move ended the conversation. I wanted to push the point about my independence but there wasn't really any use for this battle. His stance was articulated clearly and I knew enough about the man to know it was not up for discussion, debate, or even comments. This was confirmed when he asked, "What time is your flight tomorrow?"

  "I need to be at the airport by seven," I answered.

  "Good, then you can come to our family dinner. Well, it's bowling and then dinner. Pops and Tess are going at it again and the town will be there. Then we're all have a nice large dinner at Pops."

  Was he inviting me to the bowling competition or the dinner?

  "I've got plans but thanks," I said with a smile.

  "It wasn't an invitation, darling. You're going." Knox mockingly smiled back.

  "You going to make me?" I countered.

  "Watch me." He nodded.

  It was my own fault because I should have known better than to mess with Knox Timms. Having heard the J.D. stories and even seen some of them first-hand, those Timms men did not play.

  At all.

  The son of a bitch actually checked me out of my hotel, had me stay with him and stroked me nice and slow until I was screaming. Knox said he’d make me beg him to go and that was exactly what he did.

  Cruel and unusual?

  I did not give two fucks because after four orgasms to his two, my body was nearly sated. Knox was flipping and turning my body like it belonged to him or because he could, I would have begged to go.

  Well, I did beg.

  Chapter Four

  Knox:

  Unlike my brothers, I'd never brought a woman to meet the family before. It wasn't like that with Nina but I knew they'd come to assumptions. Therefore, I texted everyone to let them know that Tess' friend, Nina, would be coming. Those responses included a variation of, 'you can't fool us, get the fuck outta here, and you claimed her already?'

  Shit.

  When we walked through the door,
the vultures, my brothers, were near the door waiting for the kill.

  Even J.D.

  That motherfucker.

  "Hey Nina, nice to see you here." J.D. pulled her in for a hug.

  "Thanks J.D.," she said with hesitance in her voice as she hugged the big man. "I hate to intrude."

  "Intrude?" He let her go. "Naw, you're just as much a part of the family as anyone else here."

  His eyes slid to mine and I subtly stuck up my middle finger at him.

  "Nina, this is my brother Mills and there’s Troy," I said as I pointed to each of them. "Guys, this is Tess' friend, Nina."

  With that statement, she looked at me with an expression I could not really decipher but it was quickly gone.

  "Hey, guys. Nice to meet you," she laughed. "Boy, you guys sure do look alike. All tall, strong, and handsome. Any of you single?"

  "I am," Troy spoke up, rather quickly. "Mills got a girlfriend already."

  "Okay then, Troy. Maybe you can teach me how to bowl?" Nina made one step away from me and towards my brother.

  "Gladly," Troy quickly agreed. "Let's go grab..."

  "Sorry, brother." I grabbed Nina's hand, effectively pulling her back towards me and shook my head at the next heir in line.

  His eyebrows rose and then he nodded when he realized that I was silently communicating with him to back the fuck off. I would deal with her later.

  "What's with all the movement of the eyebrows and silent signals?" Nina asked while staring at my smiling face. "Why can't Troy show me how to bowl, Knox?"

  The woman made my name sound like it was poison.

  "Only person that shows you shit like that is me. Got it?"

  "No, not really." Her head was shaking emphatically. "I don't got shit. I'm Tess' friend, remember. No strings, Knox. Right?"

  "Shit, I like her." Mills mumbled right before J.D. grabbed the two of them so we could have some privacy.

  My body bent down so only she'd hear me. "How many orgasms have you had in the past twenty-four hours?"

  "I don't know," she snapped.